Theater review: 'Christmas Story' is an early holiday gift

In "A Christmas Story: The Musical," a grown man looks back on his youthful quest to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas in 1940.

By R. Scott Reedy

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

By R. Scott Reedy

Posted Nov. 25, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 25, 2013 at 10:41 AM

By R. Scott Reedy

Posted Nov. 25, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 25, 2013 at 10:41 AM

BOSTON

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If you look forward to the annual television marathon of “A Christmas Story,” airing this year on Christmas Eve and Day on TCM, or if you just enjoy a good musical done in the classic Broadway style, you should make plans now to head to Boston’s Citi Wang Theatre to see the winning new stage version of the perennial holiday favorite.

The 1983 movie – based on Jean Shepherd’s 1966 book of short stories, “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash” – has earned a legion of loyal fans with its nostalgic look at a pre-World War II Midwestern family preparing for Christmas. The story centers on 9-year-old Ralphie, the older of two Parker brothers, who wants nothing more than a Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200 Shot Range Model Air Rifle with a compass in the stock and a thing that tells time for Christmas.

The film benefited not only from Shepherd’s humorous writing, but also from a splendid cast led by Darren McGavin, the father known simply as the Old Man, and a pitch-perfect Peter Billingsley, all grown up now and one of the musical’s producers, as Ralphie.

Movie-to-stage transfers, often with music added, have become common in recent years. The Tony Award-nominated “A Christmas Story, The Musical” – which premiered on Broadway last year – is an excellent example of this genre with a wonderful score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, clever choreography by Warren Carlyle, and faithful book by Joseph Robinette, all brought to life by a talented troupe of performers.

Dan Lauria (TV’s “The Wonder Years”) is appropriately avuncular as Jean Shepherd, who narrates the show and takes us back in time via his radio broadcast to a snow-blanketed Indiana – wonderfully evoked by Walt Spangler’s layered set design. As the Old Man, John Bolton conjures up McGavin’s familiar rasp to do battle with an often-on-the-fritz furnace, the bald tires on his 1937 Oldsmobile, and a pair of barking bloodhounds.

The Old Man’s mood shifts, however, when he wins a contest and takes proud possession of the grand prize – a somewhat inelegant leg lamp that he promptly places in the front window of the family home. Bolton is sensational on both “The Genius on Cleveland Street” and “A Major Award” – featuring a spectacular leg lamp kick-line. Providing nice balance as the Mother is Erin Dilly who brings a warm presence throughout, especially in the act one ballad “What a Mother Does.” Like the holiday it celebrates, this show puts a lot of focus on kids, with Jake Lucas front and center as the bespectacled, ever hopeful Ralphie. Lucas is earnest from ear-to-ear and a pure pleasure on numbers, including the musical daydream “Ralphie to the Rescue!” and the gentler “Somewhere Hovering over Indiana.” Other first-rate performers in the large company include tow-headed Noah Baird, as snowsuit-challenged younger brother Randy, and Mitchell Sink and Charlie Babbo as schoolyard bully Scot Farkus and his pint-sized accomplice, Grover Dill. As Miss Shields, the school teacher turned nightclub knockout, Caroline O’Connor adds eye-popping oomph to act two’s “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out,” which also showcases some superb tap dancing by the diminutive Luke Spring.

Page 2 of 2 - While the show might benefit from a little trimming, director John Rando keeps the action moving and highly entertaining. And so it is not surprising that “A Christmas Story, The Musical” will head straight back to Broadway when it leaves Boston next week. Catch it while you can.

A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL runs through Dec. 8 at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre, Boston. Tickets are $45 to $125. For information, go to www.citicenter.org or call 866-348-9738.